As I mentioned before, I’m playing with the formatting on We Eat For Real. I like things organized and simplified.

SNACK NOTES:

Zucchini and tomatoes continue to come in each week from my CSA (Lazy Eight Stock Farm). While they are typcially what you might think of for snacks, they definitely can be… Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies are fab! They are cake-like and chocolatey. They do not have a zucchiniey [yes, I made up that word] flavor. If your family will freak with flecks of green, peel the zucchini before pureeing. While they lose some nutritional value without the peel, the flesh still packs a nutritional punch. You win some, you lose some!

I dream of Italy, often. So when I have fresh tomatoes and basil (but no Mozzarella), I make Not Quite Caprese Salads. It’s definitely reminiscent of a Caprese Salad and hits the spot on any summer day. It’s great midday snack, lunch item, or dinner side dish too.

DINNER NOTES:

Two meals repeats because the family requested them – Corn and Tomato Pizza with Cilantro and Goat Cheese and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. These are tried and true winners. I’ve entertained with this pizza several times too. The pancakes would make a great Sunday brunch menu item. Pancakes for brunches are perfect because you can make several batches and keep them warm in the oven (200 degrees) until guests are ready to eat. The Balsamic Watermelon Salad has been seen on We Eat For Real before but with chicken. This week, it served as a salad to go with burgers. If you haven’t jumped on the watermelon and feta salad train yet…toot toot, get on board! What are you waiting for??

I gotta be honest; I stretched myself and the hubby this week with the Sweet Corn with Beets and Basil recipe. Beets prepared using the boiling method is typically something I bypass and never look back. When I came across this recipe, I thought that the flavor combination of basil and sweet corn could work if I added some goat cheese. I was right, if I do say so myself! This dish was “slammin,” to quote my family when something is delicious. The only reason there were any leftovers was because I made a small container for lunch prior to serving 😉

I’m happy to have found the Cilantro Quinoa Turkey Burger recipe. Great flavor and with just three ingredients, they are ready in no time. Do these burgers a solid and slather on some mashed avocado. Make it even better with sliced tomatoes and red onions. My seven year old at a one-half of burger with all of the toppings and then asked for the other half. (That rarely happens with burgers). Try them with whole wheat pita pockets for something different too!

Quick Cucumber, Dill, Feta, & Avocado Salad with Grilled Chicken is a great summer dinner option that is ready in a flash. It would be great for a summer dinner party. It’s creamy, tangy, and crunchy flavor and textures are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Hope something makes your belly smile…

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